Journal · 158 guides

Fit, measuring and alterations

Measuring well, getting the fit right for your shape, and general guides to what a tailor can change on clothes you already own.

Design preview5 min readHow to measure for a women’s leather jacketHow to measure for a women’s leather jacket: shoulders, chest, waist, sleeve and body length, body or garment numbers, and where a cropped or hip hem sits.Read
3 min readWhy do buttons gape at the bust, and how to stop itButtons gape at the bust when the front has too little room or no button sits at the fullest point. Why it happens on shirt dresses and kurtas, and what to ask for.Read
3 min readElastic or drawstring waist: which is more comfortable?Elastic vs drawstring waist for a shalwar or trousers: how each adjusts, sits under a fitted kameez and wears over time, and when a zipped waistband is better.Read
3 min readKameez clinging to the tummy: room without a tentWhy a kameez or top clings to the stomach, where extra room should go (the front, from the bust down) and which fabrics skim rather than cling. What to ask for.Read
3 min readWhy do my trousers sag at the seat?Trousers baggy at the back usually have a rise too long, a seat cut too full or a fabric that stretches. How to tell which, and the measurements that correct it.Read
3 min readWhy does my waistband gape at the back?Trousers that gap at the back of the waist usually have a straight band on a curved body. Why it happens, and the shaping and measurements that close the gap.Read
3 min readTrousers tight at the thighs: what to ask forTrousers tight on the thighs are usually sized by waist and hip, with the leg left to chance. Why sitting makes it worse, and the thigh numbers to send.Read
3 min readHow should a shirt dress fit?How should a shirt dress fit? Point by point: shoulder, collar, bust, waist, hip, sleeve and length, worn loose or belted, with a sit-down test and what to measure.Read
3 min readDoes a kameez need bust darts?Does a kameez need darts? Not always. What bust darts and princess seams do, when a flat-cut kameez is fine, and how print, embroidery and ease change the answer.Read
3 min readWhy do my trousers pull or pinch when I sit down?Trousers tight in the crotch when sitting, or dipping at the back, have too little rise or seat room. Why it happens, and a seated check to do before you order.Read
3 min readHow baggy should a shalwar be?How loose should a shalwar be? As full as you like. What sets the volume (seat depth, leg width, waist gathers, cuff) and how to ask for slim, regular or full.Read
3 min readHow to describe a fit problem so it gets solvedHow to explain fit problems to a tailor: say where, when, by how much and against which garment, with the words, photos and measurements a remote tailor can act on.Read
3 min readWhy do my kameez side slits pull open?Side slits gaping open usually mean too little hip room, a slit that starts above the fullest hip, or a bust lifting the front. Why it happens and what to ask for.Read
3 min readDoes a khaddar or karandi kameez need more room?Does a khaddar or karandi kameez need more room? Usually a little, at the armhole, upper sleeve and seams, plus space for winter layers. What to change from lawn.Read
3 min readSleeves always too short? Ordering for long armsSleeves too short for long arms? Why standard sleeves stop short, where a full sleeve should end with the arm bent, and how to measure and state it on your order.Read
3 min readSleeves you can roll up for wudu: what to ask forSleeves that roll up for wudu need room at the forearm and elbow and a wrist that opens: buttons, a slit or a roll-up tab. What widths and fastenings to ask for.Read
3 min readDifferent size on top and bottom: what to orderDifferent size on top and bottom? A dress or kameez in one size fits only half. How separate bust, waist and hip measurements fix it in a kameez, dress or co-ord.Read
3 min readWhy do my trousers or shalwar keep slipping down?Trousers keep falling down when waist and hips are close in size, the elastic is tired, the fabric is heavy or the band sits in the wrong place. What to state.Read
4 min readTrouser bottom width: how to measure the hem openingTrouser bottom width in inches and centimetres: how to measure the hem opening flat and doubled, typical paincha sizes by trouser style, and the heel check.Read
4 min readYoke length for a frock or anarkali: how to measureHow to measure for an anarkali or frock: the yoke length from the shoulder to the seam where the flare starts, at the under-bust, waist or hip, with typical figures.Read
4 min readPit to pit: measuring a kameez chest laid flatPit to pit measurement explained for a kameez: where to lay the tape on a flat garment, how to double the figure, and why it is always larger than your bust.Read
4 min readHow to measure your hips for a kameez and trousersHow to measure hips for a kameez and trousers: finding the fullest point, how far below the waist it sits, and when to add a high-hip or tummy figure as well.Read
4 min readKameez hem width (daman): how to measure itDaman measurement in a kameez: how to measure the hem width laid flat and doubled, typical figures for straight and A-line cuts, and how slits change it.Read
4 min readHow to measure an armhole for a kameez or kurtiHow to measure armhole size for a kameez or kurti: the round measurement on your body, the straight depth on a flat garment, and which one to send us.Read
3 min readInseam or outseam: which trouser length to sendInseam vs outseam explained: what each trouser length measures, why you cannot convert one to the other without the rise, and which to send for stitching.Read
4 min readHow to measure your upper arm for kameez sleevesHow to measure bicep for sleeves: finding the fullest part of the upper arm, relaxed or bent, and why this optional number stops kameez sleeves pulling.Read
4 min readHow to measure shoulder width for a kameezHow to measure shoulder width for a kameez: finding both shoulder points, laying the tape across the back, and checking the figure against a kameez that fits.Read
4 min readBust, upper bust and under-bust: how to measure eachHow to measure bust for a kurti or kameez, and when the upper bust and under-bust help: where each tape goes, what to wear, and which figure to send.Read
4 min readHow to take measurements without a tape measureHow to measure without a tape measure: string or ribbon against a ruler, a sheet of A4 as a stand-in, a printed paper tape, and when to send a garment instead.Read
4 min readWhere should the shoulder seam of a kameez sit?Where should a kameez shoulder seam sit? On the bony point at the end of your shoulder. How to spot a seam that is too wide or too narrow, and how to check yours.Read

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